Heel-trimming machine



March 9 i926. ,576,464

, B. POPE HEEL TRIMMING MACHINE Filed F 26, 1924 2 sheets-sheet 1 March -9 1926.

L... B. POPE HEEL TRIMMING MACHINE Filed Feb. 26. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 9, 1926.

PATENT oFF-ics.

LYMAN B. POPE, OF BRADFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

HEEL-TRIIYIMING 'MACHINE Application filed February 26, 1324., .Serial No. 695,336.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that LLLYMAN B. Perma citizen of the United States, residing at Bradford, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Heel-Trimming Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. I

This invention relates to machines for trimming the edges of toplifts, and especially, although not exclusively, to machines for trimming rubber and similar-'topilifts The invention has forits general objects to increase the speed and convenience of operation of machines of this character, Aand consequently the output thereof, while diminishing the care necessary on 'the part of the operator an-d the possibility I of defective work, and also to provide a machine of this character which is readily adaptable to operation upon the toplif'ts of heels of substantially any style or size.

The more particular objects of the` invention, together with means whereby the same may be carried into effect, will best be understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood, however, thatthe particular construction described and shown 'has been chosen for illustrative purposes merely, and that the invention, as defined by the claims hereunto appended, may be otherwise practised without departure from the spirit and scope thereof.

In said drawings:

Figs. l, 2 and 3 are, respectively, front and side elevations and a top plan view of the complete machine.

Fig. 4l is an enlarged front elevation of the cutter and associated instrumentalities.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are sections taken substantially on the lines 5 5, 6 6, and 7-.-7, respectively, Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a section taken substantially on the line S8, Fig. G.

Figs. 9, l() and llare diagrammatic views illustrating the operation 'of the machine on different types of heels.

Fig. 12 is a section `taken substantially on the line 12-i2, Fig. G, with the table omitted.

@r2 in the table.

Journalled in the machine ,frame .Qs a shaft 2l provided with a belt pulley 22 adapted to receive power from any suitable source through a belt (not shown), said shaft having secured to its forward end a coaxial rotary cutter 23. As shown most clearly in Figs. 6, and 9 to 11, said cutter is formed with an annular relieved portion or groove y24 forward of which is the operative portion 25 whose effective vperiphery is preferably substantially cylindrical, although it may be otherwise designed if preferred.

Co-operating with the cutter 23 is a guard or work guide in the form of a rotatable disk 26 of a curvature or diameter substantially equal to that of the operative portion 2 5 of the cutter and approximately coaxial there` with, being however slightly inclined so as to bring its lower edge into close proximity to the lower edge of thel cutter, as shown in Fig, 6.` The disk vguard, 26Y is rotatably mounted on the lower end of a slide 27. guided for vertical adjustment, or adjustV ment transverse to the axis of the cutter, on

a bracket 28 carried yby the top of the framev 20. The adjustment of said slide on said bracket is effected by means of an adjusting screw 29 in threaded engagement with the bracket, and having ai collar 30 which is received in a notch 3l in the slide. Said slide is clamped in adjusted position by means of a clamping screw 32 in threaded engage- -ment` with the bracket 28 and passing through a s101533 in the slide. The bracket 28 is adjustable on the frame 2O in the direction of the axis of the cutterA 25 and is,v

clamped 'in adjusted position by means of va clamp screw 34: in threaded engagement with the frame and passing through a slot 35 in the bracket.

The lower edge of the cutter 25 is receivedl in a semi-circul ar notch 36 in the upper edge of a table 37 over which the work is guided during the trimming operation. The forward face of the table 37 is formed with a groove 38 in which is guided for longitudinal adjustment a work guide 39 Ahaving its work-` engaging edge 40 disposed lsubstantially tangential tothecutter. Said guide isV secured in adjusted position by means of a clamping screw 4l' in threaded engagement with said guide and passing through. a slot The table 37 is formed with a trunnion 43 which is journalled, for angular adjustment on an aXis transverse to the axis of the cutter, in a lug 44 formed on a bracket or slide 45 adjustably? mounted, as hereinafter decribed, on the frame 20, said trunnion 43 being preferably provided with an operating knob 46 by which said table may be conveniently turned about the axis of said trunnion. Said table is clamped in adjusted position by means of a bolt 47 disposed transverse to the trunnion in the lug 44 and having a lateral notch or recess 48 through which said trunnion passes. rlhe unner end of the bolt 47 is threaded to receive an operating handle 49 bearing upon the upper surface of the lug 44 and by means of which the bolt may be drawn upwardly to clamp the trunnion.

The slide 45 is formed with a groove 50 (Fig. 8) which receives a rib 51 on the frame 20 disposed substantially parallel to the axis of the shaft 2l and cutter 23, whereby said slide, and consequently the table 37, may be adjusted in the direction of said aXis. Said adjustment is effected by means of a screw 52 in threaded engagement with the slide and having a pair of collars 53 which engage a bifurcated bracket 54 secured to the frame 20, said screw and bracket being located .below the lower edge of the table. The slide 45 is secured in adjusted position by means of a clamping screw 55 in threaded engagement with the frame and passing through a slot 56 (Fig. 6) in said slide.

In operation, a heel A (Fig. 6) having a toplift B, to be trimmed into conformity with the configuration of the heel, is placed with the face of the toplift against the table 37 and its edge in engagement with the edge 40 of the guide 39 and is moved along said edge until the body of the heel engages the edge of the disk 26, thereby bringing the edge of the toplift under the action of the cutter 23. The heel is then turned, holding the same in engagement with the edge of said disk until the entire peripheral edge of the toplift B has been trimmed.

The guide 39 serves as means to guide the work into place under the cutter, facilitating rapid operation upon successive heels. By pressing the work against said guide, the latter prevents the work from suddenly recoiling when struck by the rapidly rotating cutter and being thrown out of position or out of the hands of the operator, resulting in damaged work and loss of time, as frequently occurs in machines of this type unless the toplifts be rough-rounded to approximate shape before the trimming operation proper. The use of the guide 39, therefore, avoids the necessity of this preliminary operation, The end of said guide is preferably located closely adjacent the cutter, and the adjustable mounting of said guide permits such location thereof with respect to cutters of different sizes and to compensate for grinding of any particular cutter.

The disk guard 26, which is of substantially the same curvature or diameter as the cutter, provides 'supplementary work guiding means for accurately positioning the work with respect to the cutter at substantially any point about the lower portion of the periphery of the latter, so that care in positioning the work at the precise lowermost point of the cutter is unnecessary, and said work may be moved to different positions about the edge of the disk to suit the convenience of the operator. The rotatable mounting of said disk permits the latter to move with the heel and thereby assist in the ready manipulation of the latter, and also prevents rubbing of the guard upon the heel so as to injure the finished surface of the latter, as frequently happens in the use of machines of this type upon covered heels, or heels having highly finished surfaces. The vertical adjustment of said disk with the slide 27 determines the depth to which the toplift is out with respect to the portion of the surface of the heel proper engaged by said guard, and also permits the guard to be adjusted to compensate' for grinding of the cutter as well as to provide for heels and toplifts of different configurations. The aX- ial adjustment of the guard permits the same to be set as close to the cutter as desirable in accordance with the requirements of the work, while its inclined position' permits engagement of said guard with the heel at a point close to the toplift so as to provide for accurate guiding of Louis and similar heels having sharply undercut curved surfaces.

rlfhe several adjustments of the table 37 permit the adaptation of the machine to the trimming of toplifts of heels of various shapes as well as the trimming of said toplifts in different forms. Thus, in Figs. 6 and 1l, the machine is shown as adjusted for the purpose of trimming the toplifts of military heels, the edges of which are to be trimmed perpendicular to their faces. For this purpose, the table is adjusted about the axis of the trunnion 43 into a substantially vertical position so as to bring its work-engaging face into a position substantially perpendicular to the periphery of the Cutter. Said table is adjusted longitudinally into such a position as to permit the cutter to trim the full width of the edge of the toplift without marring the surface of the body of the heel. In this connection it will be noted, by reference to Fig. l1, that the cutting edge 25 of the cutter 23 may be made of a sulficient width to trim toplifts of the maximum thickness, the table 37, and also, if necessary, the disk guard 26, being suitably adjusted in the direction of the axis of the cutter to utilize so much of said cutting edge` as Will serve to trim the toplift Without engaging the body of the heel. Y

In Fig. 9 is shown a Louis heelJ-t1 having a toplift` B1 which is trimmed into outwardly flaring or beveled form to conform to the lflaring shape of the adjacent portion of the heel. For this purpose, the table l37 is adjusted about the axisof the trunnioii 23 at a suitable inclination with respect to the axis of the cutter to cause the latter to cnt the toplift'upon the desired bev-el, the

-, vide for the proper bevel upon the toplift,

and is so adjusted longitudinallyvas to bring the outer portion of the edge of the toplift opposite the relieved or grooved portion 24 of the cutter, so as to leave the bead C. The guard 26 is also adjusted transversely of the axis of the cutter to compensate for the angle between the surface of the heel and the finished surface of the toplift.

Other adjustments ofthe mechanism in order to adapt the same substantially to any vdesired Work, will be obvious Without further explanation in detail.

It will be noted that the devices for adjusting the table 3?, both angularly and longitudinally, and for clamping the same in adjusted position, are all of such a char actor as to be located out of the path of movement of the heel over the surface of the table, so as not in any Way to interfere with the manipulation of the Work.

lt will be obvious that, in order to avoid marring the heel proper, the table 37 Ashould be so adjusted lon,g ,'itudinallyv as to avoid contact of the cutter 23 with said heel, and, if desired, the adjustment may be such that the cutter will not quite trim the full thickness of the edge of the toplift, the remaining tin Z) being removed by the fixed auxiliary 'trimming knife G0 shown in Figs. 4, (i and l2, but omitted in fthe remaining figures. Said knife comprises a bifurcated shank, which is adj ustably secured by a clamp screuvv Gl to the slide 27, and a laterally offset curved blade Which extends around the edge of the guard 26 into proximity to the cutter 223 at the opposite side of the trimming point from the guide 39. The edge of the knife 60 is disposed transverse to the direction of movement of the edge of the toplift B during the trimming operhis angular adjustment. -It

ation, so that, after said edge has been` trimmed by the cutter .43, the remaining fin b will be removed by said knife, as illustrated in Fig. l2. v

It Will be seen that, by providing a cutter having an operating face of suflicient Width, the machine, otherwise. substantially as shown and described, may be employed for trimming the edges of rubber heels as Well as rubber toplifts only. It will also be observed that the machine, While particularly well adapted for trimming rubber heels and toplifts, is also capable of use for the purpose of trimming heels and toplifts of other materials.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a heel trimming machine, in combination, a rotary cutter, a table over which the Work is guided for co-operation with said cutter, a cutter guard for controlling the position of the Work with respect to said cutter, and a Work guide on said table dis# posed substantially tangential to said cutter.

2. In a. heel trimmingmachine, in combination, a rotary cutter, a table over which the Work is guided for co-operation With said cutter, a cutter guard forj controlling the position ofthe Work'ivith respect to saidv cutter, and a Work guide on Vsaid table disposed substantially tangential to said cutter and longitudinally adjustable toward and from the same. K

3. In a heel trimming machine, in combination, a rotary cutter, a tableover which the Work is guided for co-operation with said cutter, a cutter guard for controlling the position of the Work With respect to said cutter, said table having a groove disposed substantially tangentialto said cutter, a Work guide adjustable longitudinally in said groove, and a clamp for securing said lbinatien, a rotary cutter, a table over whichV the work is guided for co-operation with said cutter, a Work guide on said table disposed substantially tangentialV to said cutter, and a disk guard of substantially the same diameter as said cutter disposed adjacent the same, the edge Vof said guard engaging the wor.; to guide the same during the trimming operation. i i Y 6. Ina heeltrimming machine, in combination, a rotary7 cutter, a table over which the Work is guided for co-operation with said cutter, anda transversely adjustable disk guard of substantially the same diameter as said cutter disposed adjacent the same, the edge of said guard'engaging the Work to guide the same during the trimming operation.

7. In a heel trimming machine, in com `ination, a rotary cutter, a table over which the Work is guided for cio-operation with said cutter, a disk guard of substantially the same diameter as said cutter disposed adjacent the same, the edge of said guard engaging the Work to guide the latter during the trimming operation, a slide by ivliicn .said guard is carried, a` bracket on which the work is guided for co-operation with said cutter, and anvaxially adjustable disk guard ot substantially the saine diameter as said cutter disposed adjacent the same, the edge of said guard engaging the work to guide the same during the trimn'iing operation. l

9. In a heel trimmingl machine, in combination, a rotary cutter, a table over which the Work is guided for co-operation l'with said cutter, and an axially and transversely adjustable disk guard of substantially the same diameter as said cutter disposed adjacent the same, the edge of said guard engaging the Work to guide the same during the trimming operation.

10. In a heel trimming machine, in combination, a frame, a shat't journalled therein, a. cutter on said shaft, a table over Which the work is guided for eo-operation with said cutter, a disk guard of substantially the same diameter as said cutter' disposed adj acent the same, the edge of said guard engaging the Work to guide the same during the trimming operation, and a bracket by which said guard is carried, said bracket being adjustable on said frame in the direction oft' the axis of said shaft.

11. In a heel trimming machine, in combination, a rotary cutter, a` table over which the work is guided for coi-operation with said cutter, and a disk guard of substantially the same diameter as said cutter disposed adjacent the same and at an inclination thereto, the edge of said guard engaging the Work to guide the same during the trimming operation.

1Q. In a heel trimming machine, in combination, a rotary cutter, a table over which the work is guided, said table being angularly adjustable about an axis transverse to the axis ol said cutter, and an axially and transversely adjustable disk guard ot substantially the same diameter as said cutter disposed adjacent the saine, the edge of said guard engaging the Work to guide the same during the trimming operation.

13. In a heel trimming machine, in combination, a rotary cutter, a cutter guard for controlling the position of the Work with respect to said cutter, a table over Which the Work is guided, a trunnion by which said table is carried, a bracket in which said trunnion is journalled upon an axis transverse to the axis of said cutter, a threaded bolt in said bracket, said bolt being disposed transverse to said trunnion and having a lateral recess through which said trunnion passes, and 'an operating handle in threaded engagement with said bolt and operable to cause the latter to clamp said trunnion in adjusted position.

14. In a heel trimming machine, in combination, a rotary cutter, a table over which the Work is guided, and a disk guard of substantially the same diameter as said cutter' disposed adjacent the same, the edge of said guard engaging the work to guide the same during the trimming operation, said table and guard being independently adjustable in the direction of the axis of said cutter.

15. In a heel trimming machine, in combination, a rotary cutter, a cutter guard for controlling the position of the Work with respect to said cutter, a table over which the Work is guided, and means located below said table and accessible from t-he front ot the machine for adjusting said table in a direction parallel to the axis of said cutter.

16. In a heel trimming machine, in combination, a rotary cutter, a cutter guard for controlling the position of the work with rcspect to said cutter, a table over which the work is guided, a slide guided for movement in the direction of the axis ot said cutter and by Which said table is carried, a screw for adjusting said slide, and a lixed bracket by which said screw is carried.

17. In a heel trimming machine, in combination, a rotary cutter, a cutter guard for controlling the position of the work with respect to said cutter, a table over which the Work is guided, a slide guided for movement in the direction of the axis oi' said cutter, a screw for adjusting said slide, a fixed bracket by Which said screw is carried, a trunnion on said table journalled in said slide on an axis transverse to the axis of said cutter, and a clamping boltl and an operating haudle therefor for clamping said trunnion in adjusted position.

18. In a heel trimming machine, in combination, a rotary cutter, a table over which the Work is guided for co-operation with said cutter, a cutter guard for controlling the position of the Work With respect to said cutter, and a fixed trimming knife located in proximity to said cutter and guard.

19. In a heel trimming machine, in combination, a rotary cutter, a table over which the `Work is guided for co-operat-ion with said cutter, a cutter guard for controlling vthe position of the Work with respect to said cutter, a Work guide on Said table and a Xed trimming knife located at the opposite side of said cutter and guard from said guide.

20. In a heel trimming machine, in combination, a rotary cutter, a cutter guard `for controlling the position o1 the Work with re- -spect to said cutter, a support for said guard, and a. curved trimming knife carrier by said support and extending around the edge of said guard into proximity to said cutter.

In testimony whereof I aIiX my signature.

LYMAN B. POPE. 

